The L.A. Beat

Dirty Catfish Brass band celebrating New Orleans music

The Dirty Catfish Brass Band out of Winnipeg show their love for New Orleans, not to mention pop music. They return to the Slice, next Wednesday, Nov. 21. They were at the slice almost exactly a year ago and tenor saxophonist Kyle Wedlake is excited to return and share the band’s love for New Orleans jazz music.“ We’ve got to headline a lot of great festivals this year including the Winnipeg Jazz Festival and Winnipeg Fringe Festival,” Wedlake enthused.

The band formed back in 2011, inspired by a couple of the members’ visits to N ew Orleans, who brought back their enthusiasm for the raucous jazz down south. “So it’s been seven super years,” he said.

“ Most of us have degrees in jazz performance. There’s a core of us in the band but we play with a lot of different musicians. There will be seven of us in Lethbridge,” he said.“We’re inspired by a lot of New Orleans bands, jazz bands and funeral bands. But unlike most New Orleans b jazz bands, we have a frontman (Aaron Codiker), he said adding, like most New Orleans style jazz bands, they all shout along with gang vocals.

George Canyon celebrates Canada with new tour

Nova Scotia born, Calgary area based country star George Canyon celebrates Canada with his new tour “Made in Canada,” which stops by Average Joes, Nov. 16.“I love Canada, I was born in Canada, I met my wife and married her in Canada and had my kids in Canada,” said Canyon, boarding his tour bus en route to a concert in Edmonton.

“I don’t think Canadians toot their own horns enough. So this tour is about celebrating all of the wonderful things about Canada. I’ve been blessed to have a music career over the past 28 years mostly in Canada,” he continued.

He has won two Juno Awards for Country album of the year and over 30 CCMA nominations. Canyon has also been inducted into the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame.“So we’re touching on a few Canadian icons like Gordon Lightfoot, Ian Tyson, Ron Hynes and Anne Murray. We’re also doing a tribute to The Tragically Hip and Gord Downie — we’re playing Blow at High Dough,” he said.

“ There’s so many Tragically Hip tunes we could do, but we want to be able to do them justice,” he said.There is no dust on George Canyon, who released “I Got This,” last year, “Southside of Heaven” earlier this year and is already working on a third CD to be released early next year. He also has a new children’s record ready to go.

“It’s in the mixing process and we‘re just deciding the right way and time to release it,” he said.The new CD has a strong Canada influence on the CD. It includes a cover of Stompin’ Tom’s ‘The Hockey Song,’ as well as a cover of fellow Nova Scotian musician Bruce Guthro‘s ‘Falling.’“I’ve been friends with Bruce for a long time. I’ve always liked ‘Falling,’ so I called him up and asked him if I could cut it for the album. Then I asked him if he’d like to sing on it,” he said. He said he is only playing a few of the new songs on this tour including “The Hockey Song,’ “Old Man’s Son“ and “Better Off In Love.”

Plenty of country this week plus rap and rock

Country and folk music dominate this week with several shows for folks who want to kick it country style.Winnipeg’s folk musician Cary Dow makes her Lethbridge Lethbridge debut at the Slice, Tuesday, Nov. 13. She is winding up a 10 date Canadian tour in support of her new CD “Comet”and heading back to Winnipeg with her band mates, bassist Ashley Au and guitarist Darwin Baker. Things get loud at the Enmax Centre with the Glorious Sons and Beaches at the Enmax Centre, Nov. 13 as well with one of several big rock shows also happening this week.Tickets for the concert are $46 and $56. The show begins at the Enmax Centre at 7 p.m. In the folk vein, Calgary alt country/roots band the Wine Soaked Preachers return to Lethbridge this week to play the Windy City Opry at the Slice, with Edmonton pop /folk singer Vissia. As always Windy City Opry shows start at 8 p.m. on the nose. Admission is $10.

FLIPfest features another fundraiser at the Owl Acoustic Lounge on Wednesday as well with Winnipeg psych pop dream pop- band A La Mode performing at 9 p.m. with local musicians Jess Tollestrup and the ugly Cry Club. Admission is by donation.

A sure sign of Christmas is a performance of renown holiday opera the Nutcracker. The Moscow Ballet returns with their production of the Nutcracker to the Enmax Centre with local dancers participating, Thursday. Nov. 15, The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $78, $58, $48 and $38.

The weekend is all about country and roots music. Breanne Urban and Southern Flyer return to Casino Lethbridge Friday and Saturday. Country star George Canyon makes his annual visit to Average Joes on Friday, Nov. 16 in support of his latest album “Southside of Heaven.” Tickets are $40 on the day of the show and $35 in advance. the concert begins at 8 p.m.

Edmonton folk/roots musician Matt Patershuk returns to Lethbridge to play the Owl Acoustic Lounge on Friday as well. For something a little different, Slice server and musician Megan Rourke celebrates her birthday, Nov. 16 with a masquerade party featuring local rock band Queen of the Worms and a solo set from Vernon singer songwriter October Poppy. Masks are required, so make or bring your own. There will also be some available at to door. Admission is $10.

Also on Friday, PIGS: Canadas Pink Floyd Tribute is on the stage at the Yates Theatre beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $48.50.Just outside of town , local funk trio Adequate bring the groove to McLennan’s Pub in Coaldale beginning at 9 p.m. if you just want to laugh, Impromptu spoof reality TV with DMTV at Club Didi beginning at 9 p.m. Admission is five dollars.

Seas brings together members of Moneen and many other bands

Seas returns to Lethbridge to play the Owl Acoustic lounge, Monday, Nov. 19 in support of their brand new record “Cursed,” which was just released, Nov. 9. “Five years ago, I had a pretty serious accident. I had a lot of bad things happen to me that year. So a lot of the lyrics stem from that period of time, when I was stuck on my couch and couldn’t do anything,” said guitarist/vocalist Crisp Hughes, who is also part of 2000 alternative rock band Moneen.

He will be flying out with guitarist Adrian Mottram, who produced the new record, to join drummer Clay Shea from the band Choke and Black Mastiff and drummer Tristan Helgason from Molten Lava! and Pet Blessings, who form the backbone of Seas for their 11 date Western Canadian tour.

Hughes noted Moneen and Seas share some similarities.“Most of Seas, Eric Hughes and Peter Krpan are also in Moneen, but it‘s different because I play a more of a songwriting role in Seas, while I didn’t in Moneen, because Kenny (Bridges, Moneen vocalist/guitarist) is such a great songwriter. But there are some similarities. I come from a more ’90s indie rock perspective,” he said.

“ And I’m more the atmosphere guy. I produced the album and Crisp asked me to play guitar with the band,” added Adrian Mottram, who is also in the band Sights and Sounds.“I’m happy to just play guitar in Seas. I’m more of a songwriter in Sights and Sounds,” he said. They have played Lethbridge a lot.“Moneen used to play Lethbridge a lot in the 2000s,” Hughes said.